WILDERNESS FIRST AID
Hiking, running, surfing, canyoneering, and biking outdoors are exciting adventure! But, they don’t come without risk…
WILL YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO?
If you enjoy these activities it’s only a matter of time before someone you know gets hurt. How you react when help is a long time coming makes the difference between a minor inconvenience and major rescue situation. Are you ready to respond when the time comes?
This WFA course is a great starting point for anyone who loves to get out and adventure. Check out the information below for more details about course content and locations.
- OVERVIEW
Wilderness First Aid
Wilderness First Aid (WFA) is the assessment of, and treatment given to, an ill or injured person in a remote environment where definitive care by a physician and/or rapid transport is not readily available.
The Importance
Responding appropriately to accidents or illnesses can mean the difference between a bad day and disaster. Better decision-making at the incident scene saves valuable time and human resources. It can even save lives!
What You Will Learn
This course goes far beyond basic “first aid.” While it contains substantial medical information and teaches hard skills, the deeper purpose is to train you to respond and manage acute situations.
Course Length
The course is sixteen hours long. This may occur in two long days, or be spread out over as many as four. Specific course format depends on the needs of the group that is sponsoring it.
Class Sessions
Sessions are taught in the classroom and outdoors. They are interactive and focus on learning and practicing skills. Reading course material prior to class is highly encouraged.
Prerequisites
No prior first aid experience is required. A current Adult CPR/AED is required for successful completion of the course, an audit may be issued with out this. All participants must be 14 years old by the end of the course.
- COURSE CONTENT
This Wilderness First Aid course covers a wide breadth of content. It is impossible to go in depth into each area. The intention is to give you a wide view look at illness and injuries, and tools to help you consider the care that needs to be given to a patient in the wilderness context. Topics included are:
- Abdominal Injuries and Illnesses
- Allergies and Anaphylaxis
- Altitude Illness
- Assessing Patients
- Asthma
- Bone and Joint Injuries
- Burns
- Chest Injuries
- Diabetic Emergencies
- Emergency Childbirth
- Eye, Mouth, and Lip Injuries
- First Aid Kits
- Head, Neck, and Spine Injuries
- Heat Related Illness
- Hypothermia
- Lightning
- Moving Patients
- Poisoning
- Seizures
- Scene Assessment
- Shock, Heart Attack, and Stroke
- Submersion Incidents
- Wound Care
CPR certification is NOT part of this course. A current Adult CPR/AED is required for successful completion of the course, an audit may be issued with out this. Several local and online options exist to obtain an Adult CPR AED certification.
- COURSE FORMAT
This Wilderness First Aid is sixteen course hours typically broken into two to four days. In all formats there is a lot of information and skill to learn in a short time. While outside study is not required, it is highly recommended.
Two day courses are offered and require full commitment to the course from 8:00 – 5:30 each day.
Three day courses typically include two evening course times of four hours then one full eight hour day on a weekend.
Classroom and skill sessions both and require full participation from students. During skill sessions, students will learn as both patients and responders. Lifting, carrying and appropriate physical touch with other students is necessary. The course is designed to give as much time as possible to practice and repetition of skills.
It is important to practice skills outdoors so students should come prepared to spend considerable course time outdoors, even in inclement weather. However participant learning and safety is always considered and teaching plans will be modified if needed.
- INSTRUCTOR BIO
Ben Larson is a diver, hiker, runner, rock climber, backpacker, and general outdoor enthusiast. He is a SCUBA instructor and directed summer camps for over fifteen years, the last nine running a wilderness adventure program in southern Colorado. During that time, he was responsible for making sure hundreds of youth and adults came safely back from multi-day backpacking trips in the Sangre De Cristo mountains. Ben has an Bachelor’s Degree in Outdoor Recreation, Master’s degree in Tourism Management. He’s also completed a Wilderness Leadership Semester with Colorado Outward Bound school.
Ben’s personal backcountry experience as a Wilderness First Responder and professional guide shapes his teaching of the Wilderness First Aid course. He has been an American Red Cross Instructor for over fifteen years, and has been teaching the WFA course for over ten years. Ben has taught courses for the United States Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Fremont County Medical Reserve Corps, camp staffs, and groups of outdoor enthusiasts.
- DATES AND LOCATIONS
WFA courses are open registration or created for specific organizations or groups and are scheduled according to their needs. Please contact us to set up a course for your group. Organizations may allow other individuals to fill available spaces in the course.
KIHEI, HI – Open Registraion
Sponsored by Maui Search & Rescue
April 22 & 25, 5:30-9:30pm and April 27, 8:00am – 4:30pm
$245 includes classroom instruction, scenario practice, course books, 2 year certificate upon successful completion.
Evening classes will be held at Kihei Lutheran Church in north Kihei. Saturday class will be held in multiple locations in the Kihei area. The course is limited to 9 students
For questions about the course or registration,
please contact Ben Larson
ben@nextadventurecompany.com or text 719-431-0050
Past Courses
KULA – Skyline Conservation -February 2024
WAILUKU – Maui Search & Rescue – October 2023
KAHLUI – Rappell Maui -May 2023
KULA, HI – Haleakala National Park – July 2021
KAHALUI, HI – Rappel Maui – May 2021
KIHEI, HI – Open Registration – November 2020, February 2021
LIHUE, HI – Kauai Search and Rescue – October 2020
CANON CITY, CO – Bureau of Land Mgmt & US Forest Service 2010, 2012, 2016
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO – Rock Climbers of Colorado Springs – 2013
CANON CITY, CO – Fremont Medical Reserve Corp – 2010
WESTCLIFFE, CO – Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp 2008, 2009
BEAR CREEK, PA – Bear Creek Camp and Conference Center – 2003-2007
Next Adventure Company, LLC is a Licensed Training Provider of the American Red Cross
